Controversy Between a Lover and a Jay, A

sig: [A1]

¶A contrauersye bytwene a louer and a Iaye.

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[¶The prologue.]

Upper margin trimmed.

THoughe laureate poetes in olde antyquyte

Fayned fables vnder clowdy sentence

Yet some intytuled fruytfull moralyte intytuled: =entitled, 'ascribed, imputed'?; see OED s.v. intitule v, 5b.

Some of loue wrote greate cyrcumstaunce

Some of cheualrous actes made remembraunce

Some as good phylosophers naturally endyted

Thus wysely and wytly theyr tyme they spended.

¶ Ouyde of loue made matters wonderfull

Good to be knowen for eschewynge more euyll

But Calaunce and Tybull with style moche paynfull

Tenderly wrote of loue delectable

Gallus and Sappho ben nothynge profytable

For yonge folkes to rede of lusty courage

Lest they be tangled in Venus bondage

¶ Chaucer floure of rethoryke eloquence rethoryke: =rhetorical

Compyled bookes pleasaunt and meruayllous

After hym noble Gower experte in scyence

Wrote moralytees harde and delycyous

But Lydgates workes are fruytefull and sentencyous

Who of his bookes hathe redde the fyne

He wyll hym call a famous rethorycyne

¶Yonge Steuen_Hawse whose soule god pardon

Treated of loue so clerkely and well

To rede his werkes is myne affeccyon

Whiche he compyled of Labell_pusell

Remembrynge storyes fruytfull and delectable

I lytell or nought experte in poetry

Of lamentable loue hathe made a dytty.

sig: A2

¶Here begynneth the auctoure.

IN an arbere

Late as I were

The foules to here

Was myne entente

Syngynge in fere

With notes clere

They made good chere

On bowes bente

¶Theyr tewnes swete

Moued me to slepe

Ferther to flete

I coude not restrayne

To take my rest

Me-thought it best

It was my lust

Styll to remayne

¶The floures florysshed

The trees burnysshed

The odoure me nourysshed

With greate suauyte

That styll I laye

All the longe daye

In sporte and playe

By songes of melody

¶Me-thought in slombre

I harde a louer

Without recouer

Cryenge alas.

sig: [A2v]

My loue vnkynde

That dyd me bynde

Hathe chaunged her mynde

For no trespas.

¶With rewfull songe

His handes he wronge

Endurynge longe

His herte was thro.

Bothe erthe and heuen

With planettes seuen

Myght here his steuen

Where he dyd go

¶His coloure reed

Was pale as leede

Lyke asshes deed

For greuous payne

In herte can dare

And lothely fare

In greatter care

Was neuer man.

¶His herte was faynte

For greate complaynte

His heere he rente

Without pyte

And fell to the grounde

Oftentymes that stounde

With mortall wounde

He cryed on hye

¶ Amator.

¶O herte vnfayne.

sig: A3

Thou may complayne

Of thy lemman

And lady swete.

For lacke of comforte

Or goodly sporte

Thou must resorte

And wayle and wepe

¶O paynes outtragyous

Greate and contagyous

No myrthe solacyous

Maye you abbate

But euer to renewe

And euer to extewe extewe: =eschew

She is vntrewe

Alacke alacke.

¶O inwarde sorowe

Bothe euen and morowe

Saynt George to borowe

Thou hast greate wronge

Without on thought

Auaylynge nought

For loue hath wrought

The in suche thronge

¶O wonderfull loue

That me dyd moue

Without reproue

¶Of thought vntrue

O loue ryght clene

As Phebus beme

Syth the fyrste tyme

sig: [A3v]

That I the knewe

¶O loue constrayned

O loue sore payned

O loue not fayned

O loue of lykynge

Where is thy solace

Where is thy maystres

Where is thy gladnes

Where is thy swetynge

¶O gentell floure

Reclayme thy paramoure

Wounded ryght sore

100

With loues launce

Reclayme reclayme

And thynke no shame

Exyle dysdayne

From your remembraunce

105

¶Lette pyte lede

Your womanhede

And mercy guyde

Your tendre aege

O famous pucell

110

Meke courtoys and gentell

Semynge to be ryght well

Of noble parentage

¶Retourne retourne

Beholde I mourne

115

Was neuer none borne

That loue more greued

Full lytell ywys.

sig: [A4]

[Knowe ye I gesse] Upper margin trimmed.

What payne it is

120

To loue vnloued

¶Alas o nature

Why dyd ye fygure

So fayre a creature

Of flesshe and bone

125

Excepte that she

To loue wolde plye

And haue pyte

On her true man

¶O cupyde kynge

130

Of loue and louynge

Greate is thy werkynge

And vyolent powre

Constrayne constrayne

To me agayne

135

Myne owne lemman

And paramoure

¶O Venus hyghe

Of goddes chefe

Beholde my grefe

140

And wofull chere

Redresse my smerte

And cause my swete-herte

Shortely reuerte

To her prysonere

145

¶O meruaylous fortune

That hath domynyon

And in thy bandon

Euery lyuynge wyght

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Helpe to preuayle

150

My paynfull trauayle

I wepe and I wayle

Bothe daye and nyght

¶Syth you me brought

To loue vnsought

155

My-thynke you ought

By reason good.

To wounde her sore

With dyntes of armoure

That pyte poore

160

May chaun[g]e her mode chaunge] chaunce 1532

¶O dethe do swarue

My herte-vayne to carue

That I may sterue

My lyfe is lorne

165

He fell in swowne

Recouerynge soone

He set hym downe

Vnder o thorne

¶The auctoure.

¶The byrdes aboute

170

Sange in a route

With tewnes stoute

Of armony.

Hym to aswage

Fallynge in rage

175

Of loues bondage

For his lady.

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[¶Coude not refrayne] Upper margin trimmed.

His mortall payne

But dyd complayne

180

With heuynesse

Alas sayd he

What cause hath she

Vnkynde to be

For no trespace

¶ Graculus loquitur amatori.

185

¶In that affraye

A Ianglynge Iaye

Sange on a spraye

Bothe to and fro

Thou carefull man

190

That dothe complayne

In herte vnfayne

Why doest thou so

¶ Amator.

¶With wofull chere

And sorowes sere

195

Was nought afere

Trouthe to reporte

That vnkyndnesse

Of his maystresse

Was paynfulnesse

200

Without comforte

¶ Graculus.

¶To sette thy mynde

On one vnkynde

Thy wyttes were blynde

Yet neuerthelesse

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205

[Thyselfe to spyll] Upper margin trimmed.

Do way be styll

For after trouble

Cometh Ioyfulnesse

¶Exyle despayre

210

To myrth repayre

For sorowe and care

Auayleth nought

To good request

Be alwaye prest

215

For wytte is best

Whan it is bought

¶ Amator.

¶Her beaute pure

And countenaunce demure

Is prynted sure

220

In myne herte-rote

No remedy

But I must dye

Without that she

Wyll be my bote

225

¶With greate tourment

And syghes feruent

I make complaynte

To god aboue

Was neuer wyght

230

So dolefully dyght

By daye nor nyght

And all for loue

¶Erly or late

No rest I take

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235

But for her sake

Mourneth styll

Trustynge for grace

But none can purchace

Adue alas

240

God knoweth my wyll

¶ Graculus.

¶Syth fortunes chaunce

Hath made instaunce

The to auaunce

In venus playe

245

Beware agayne

Of false dysdayne

That with gyle and trayne

Wyll the betraye

¶Whan thou wenest leest

250

And trusteth best

Thou shalte be fyrst

Deceyued in-dede

For loue is vayne

And neuer certayne

255

But full of payne

And foly to mede

¶Loue is delycyous

Loue is prymrose

Loue is more precyous

260

Than golde and topasyon

Loue is a prety cage

For fowles of tender aege

Loue is but dotage

When we haue all done

265

¶Loue is greate pleasure

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To euery yonge creature

Loue is treasure

That wasteth faste

Loue is comfortable

270

Loue is ofte varyable

Loue is deceyuable

And nought at the laste

¶What thynge is loue

That so dothe moue

275

Fayne wolde I proue

How it dothe come

Nothynge loue is

But nature I gesse

And from nature it comes

280

By faythfull affeccyon

¶Thoughe nature moue

And bydde the loue

Yet wysdome wolde proue

Or it be hote

285

Whan fortune sowre

Dothe on the lowre

Thou getest an ore

In cocke_lorels bote

¶Auyse the well

290

And take good counsell

Thou hast fre-wyll

To rule and guyde

For loue is daungerous

False and contagyous

295

And as sure as a mouse

Tyed at a threde

sig: B3

¶I can not contrary

But mannes moost felycyte

Is close in femynyte

300

B[y] affeccyon naturall By] But 1532

Yet trewly it is but foly

To loue contynually

A thynge that is transytory

And not perpetuall

305

¶Thou mayst take en_sample

Of Graundamoure and Grysyll

Iason and Isaphyll

Ferther to pursewe

Of Tysbe and Pyramys

310

Heleyne and Parys

Scylla and Mynoys

That were louers trewe

¶What is become

Of Phylys and Demophon

315

Alcumena and A[m]phyt[r]yon Amphytryon] Alphytyon 1532

With many thousandes mo

Pollyxena and Achylles

Dyanyra and Hercules

Where is theyr greate gladnes

320

And amyable Ioye

¶Where is Semele and Iocasta

Cleopatre and Ixonya

Semyramys and Syluya

So fayre of fauoure

325

What auayleth the beauteousnesse

Of Medea and Lucresse

Syth all-thynge is vanytees

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And fadeth as a floure

¶Whyle fortune was frendely

330

And tourned her whele kyndely

They had moche felycyte

In loue and lykynge

Greate was theyr affeccyon

In carnall delectacyon

335

Now are they all gone

For all theyr louynge

¶ Penelope was faythfull

Cyrcys was deceytfull

Neobe was carefull

340

And Hester was good

Theyr pageandes are past pageandes: =pageants

And ours wasteth fast

Nothynge dothe aye last

But the grace of god

345

¶Therfore well consyder

This worldes Ioye is slyder

Nothynge is more sweter

And decayeth so soone

With reason be contente

350

For fere thou repente

To my counsayle consente

And lette loue alone

¶ Amator.

¶O fowle of fayrenesse

Swete are thy storyes

355

That thou doest expresse

To me in doloure

Yet neuerthelesse

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Nature is [fresshe] Upper margin trimmed.

And woundeth me doubtlesse

360

With dyntes of amoure

¶I knowe ryght well

No loue is durable

Whan fortune vnstable

Tourneth her face

365

On wretches to wrythe

And her power kythe

Be they wrothe or blythe

She chaungeth theyr solace

¶Yet my poore herte

370

Can not awaye sterte

From the penetrable darte

Of blynde Cupido

His doughter wyll

Woundeth me styll

375

With paynes vnmedsynable

Where-euer I go

¶Thus am I wrapped

And in wo vmbelapped

Suche loue hath me trapped

380

Without ony cure

Syr Trystram the good

For his lemman Isoude

[More] sorowe neuer bode Upper margin trimmed.

Than I do endure

385

¶ Lamwell and Lamaroke

Gawayne and Launcelotte

Garathe and Craddocke

With the table rounde

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Syr Beuys / Syr Eglamoure

390

Syr Terry / Syr Tryamoure

In more greuous doloure

Was neuer in bounde

¶ Phedra and Theseus

Progne and Thereus

395

Pasyphe and Taurus

Who lyketh to proue

Canace and Machareus

Galathea and Pamphylus

Was neuer more dolorous

400

And all for true loue

¶ Dydo and Deydamya

Leda and Lanynya

Marra and Medusa

And Tomyrys so hynde

405

Candacys and Cyrene

Calysto and Cydyppe

Was neuer none lyke me

In trewe herte and mynde

¶ Treusa and Cletemnestra

410

Smylax and Latona

Bybles and Atalanta

Of arcady the quene

Daphnys Hypermestra

Dyrce and Cloylea

415

Hypolyte and Dyana

All these louers hath ben

¶I haue serched of late

Many poete-laureate

That dyuers bookes dyd make

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420

And storyes regystred

Yet in comparyson

Of my true affeccyon

Scarsely can I fynde one

Syth Troylus reygned

425

¶That was trewe and faythfull

In loue that is paynfull

Without fraude dysceytfull

Or preuy stryfe

Therfore as I fynde

430

I wyll shewe my mynde

Ryght fewe of Grysyldes kynde

Is now lefte on_lyue

¶This worlde is altered

Condycyons are chaunged

435

As is dayly proued

By trewe experyence experyence] experyencery 1532

Trust is now treche[ry] trechery] treche 1532

And loue is but lechery

All thynges decayeth dayly

440

Without repentaunce.

¶Thoughe I more speke

My herte wyll breke

So loue wyll wreke

On me with tene

445

Fare-well delectacyon

Welcome my fortune

I must be content with reason

As other hath ben

¶ Graculus.

¶For thy dystresse

sig: [C1v]

450

And heuynesse

I wyll expresse

In wordes playne

That women frayle

Are seldome leale

455

The trouthe to tell

I wyll not layne

¶They wyll consente

And soone repente

It is them lente

460

And gyuen by nature

Therfore beware

To proue ouer-ferre

For to loues daungere

They wyll the flatter

465

¶Theyr wordes softe blandysshynge

Are quaynte with flaterynge

And with countenaunce faynynge

They can make it nyse

Couered aboue falsely

470

Forgynge fraudes craftely

That they haue brought many

To a fooles paradyse

¶Lyke serpentes furyous

Amonge floures odyous

475

Theyr venym hydeous

Remayneth styll

The seugre appereth

The gall behynde leueth

What man that proueth

480

Shall lyke them full yll

sig: C2

¶[Theyr speche is amyable] Upper margin trimmed.

Theyr hertes are chaungeable

Theyr myndes are varyable

With mutabylyte

485

They are worthy no prayse

They are [s]o tempred with all wayes Letter broken.

And as Guydo sayes

They are neuer in suretye

¶In teres they seme carefull

490

And inwardly they are dysceytfull

Ryght fewe that be faythfull

For sykernes

They wyll speke fayre outwarde

And thynke the contrary

495

Thus do they alwaye vary

With all doublenesse

¶Recorde of Cresyde

Whome Troylus loued

And was sore payned

500

Chauser dothe tell

Her loue was fayned

And wrothly chaunged

And gyuen to Dyomede

With grekes to dwell

505

¶Who trusteth them best

He shall be the fyrst

Desceyued I trust

By fortune euen

Than may he go

510

Where he came fro

With sorowe and wo

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Iacke vnthryuen

¶Ofte-tymes they smyle

In loues style

515

And dothe begyle

Yonge louers faynte

With sportes and playes

But now-a_dayes

He that trewth sayes

520

He shall be shente

¶Very fewe or none

Is content with one

But as the mone

Oftentymes they chaunge

525

Therfore lette a man

Do as well as he can

For lytell_brytayne

Is no graunge

¶Serche scrypture and polycy

530

Crownacle and phylosophy

The fraudes of femynyte

With gylefull trayne

Hathe brought to confusyo[n]

Many a chefe champyon

535

As Sampson and Salomon

Whose storyes are playne

¶ Dauyd the conquerour

Arystotle the phylosopher

Hercules and Arthure

540

With many other mo

Defamed was craftely

Thrughe womens fraylte

sig: C3

Answere lette vs se

Is it not so

545

¶Many cytees and townes

Many countrees and regyons

Many Erles Dukes and Barons

Destroyed hathe ben

Many a kynge and Emperoure

550

And bolde knyghtes of aduenture

Hathe dyed with doloure

And all for women

¶ Pryamus and Parys

Hector and Achylles

555

Patraclus and Palomydes

Dyepholus a roy

Many a noble freke

Of Asye and of Greke

For fayre Heleyns sake

560

Was slayne at the syege of troy

¶How sholde I more wryte

Or yet endyte

My herte dothe wepe

To thynke therupon

565

What myschefe what murmure

What slaundre and manslaughter

What dysdayne and what murdre

That hathe ben for women

¶Ferther to procede

570

Me-thynke no nede

To regystre in-dede

Theyr propertees peryllous

Yet who wolde here

sig: [C3v]

Mo craftes of them sere

575

Lette hym rede and lere

Guydo and Secundus

¶Thus in conclusyon

Women are confusyon

And fynall destruccyon

580

To man at the ende

Yet shame it is

To blame them doubtlesse

For as clerkes sayes

They haue it of kynde

585

¶Therfore remembre

Theyr yonge ages tendre

That to loue is egre

With lusty courage

To loue in youthe

590

Is pleasure ynoughe

And in age forsothe

It is but dotage

Trust not theyr wordes

Nor mery bourdes

595

For knyghtes and lordes

Desceyued haue ben

They are ofte mutable

They are false and varyable

Therfore trust them but lytell

600

For all theyr fayre eyen

¶Take comforte good

And chaunge thy mode

For by the swete rode

They tourne as the wynde

sig: [C4]

605

On the see I haue bene

And many Ieoperdyes sene

What nede I more to rekyn

Thou knowest my mynde

¶Remembre well I saye

610

I must awaye

Passed is the daye

I maye not abyde

She toke her flyght

And flewe forthe-ryght

615

And the wofull wyght

Fast after yede

¶The auctoure.

¶With that I awoke

And toke my booke

Theron to loke

620

Was my solace

Lyke as I herde

I was not aferde

But worde by worde

I wrote this treatyse

¶ Finis.

¶Lenuoye of the auctoure.

Lenuoye: =the envoy; see OED s.v. l'envoy, lenvoy.

¶Go lytell booke with rudenes replete

Presente the humbly before lecture lytterall

Excusynge thy maker by way or by strete

And pronounce thy sentence with language lyberall

Praye them to correcte thy paynes rustycall

For made thou was of shorte aduysement

By meruayllous instaunce of a louer verament

sig: [C4v]

¶Fayned thou arte with wordes obprobryous

Regystrynge the actes and propertyes of women

That some men wyll Iudge the enuyous

Naye truely than were he to blame

This is his mynde and entendement certayne

Where-as they rede and fynde them gyltye

Lette them amende / this counsayle gyueth he

¶Who lyketh thy sentence and pondereth it ryght

Coniectynge well in his remembraunce

Knowe may he truely that by a lady bryght

Thou was compyled by pastymes pleasaunce

Suche great vnkyndnesse whiche caused varyaunce

Was shewed to a louer called .F._T.

Her name also begynneth with .A._B.

¶Thus endeth the treatyse of the louer and a Iaye lately compyled by me Thomas_Feylde.

¶Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the Sonne by Wynkyn_de_Worde.